Press releases

The provincial government met on Monday 10 March in Oulu. In matters concerning lobbying, Regional Director Jussi Rämet presented the current state of implementation of the Northern Finland Programme and a proposal for further development of cooperation between Northern Finland, Northern Sweden and Northern Norway. The Regional Board of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia approved the report and financial statements of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The budgeted operating costs for 2024 amounted to EUR 6 093 107 and the actual operating costs amounted to EUR 6 011 923,83. The largest item of expenditure was personnel costs of EUR 3 749 530.53, which exceeded the budget by EUR 34 876.19. The second major item of expenditure was purchases of services amounting to EUR 1 658 689.17. They were below the budget of EUR 129 230.49. Operating income was budgeted at EUR 5 883 019 and realised operating income was EUR 5 966 230.56. Northern Ostrobothnia…

The next ERDF application period for the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia is 17.2. – 11 April 2025, amounting to approximately EUR 6.7 million. In 2024, the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia granted a total of EUR 48 million to 162 regional development and investment projects under the Regional and Structural Policy Programme. The total cost of the projects will reach EUR 63 million. The largest beneficiary was the University of Oulu, which received ERDF and JTF support totalling EUR 19.8 million for the implementation of development and investment projects. The second largest beneficiary was Oulu University of Applied Sciences and the third was the Joint Municipal Authority for Education OSAO. The secretariat of the regional cooperation group took note of the financial situation of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia in 2024. Provincial Cooperation Group Secretariat supports 28 projects to be funded…

Current project presentations Two current project presentations were given to the regional cooperation group. The first concerned the arrangement of the junction area of Highway 8/road 771 (Satamatie) and the improvement of mt 7771 by constructing a pedestrian route to Kalajoki between Kokkolantie and Usvametsäntie. Another project presented was the builders of well-being at work. The external evaluation of the Regional Programme for Northern Ostrobothnia 2022-2025 was presented to the Regional Cooperation Group. The evaluation was carried out in cooperation with the provinces of Northern Finland and Owal Group Oy, which carried out the evaluation. The external evaluation of the provincial programme is part of the statutory process of implementing the provincial programmes. The objective of the evaluation is to obtain information on the implementation and effectiveness of the programme and, in particular, to provide recommendations and views for the preparation of the future provincial programme. The evaluation started in spring 2024 with background material analysis and expert interviews. The next step was to collect an electronic questionnaire…

The provincial government met for its first meeting of the year on Monday 10 February in Oulu. The provincial plan proposal for the energy and climate phase will be re-opened to the public. A new public consultation will be held on the proposal for a regional plan for the energy and climate phase of Northern Ostrobothnia. An update of the Natura 2000 risk assessment has been prepared on the plan solution, which complements the previous risk assessment carried out at the stage of the authority's proposal. The plan solution has been changed for regionally significant wind power areas. Compared to the first consultation of the proposal phase, five wind power areas have been removed from the land areas, and demarcation changes have been made to 20 areas. Twenty-six television stations remain unchanged. After a risk assessment, the exiting areas turned out to be too small to meet the regional criteria. Of the previous phase plans, 48 onshore wind power areas remain legally valid. Three offshore wind power areas have been reduced in the territorial waters of the Bothnian Bay, two areas remain unchanged. In addition to the changes concerning wind power, …, approved at the end of 2024, has been included in the planning data.

In 2025, the ELY Centre for Northern Ostrobothnia will open several project applications for the renewed and competent Finland 2021-2027 programme. The company's development grants (ERDF TL1 and TL2 and JTF) can be applied for continuously from 13 January to 30 November 2025. The application period for research and development projects for SMEs and the utilisation of new technology in Northern Finland is 13.1-28.2.2025 and 3.3.-30.4.2025. Operating environment development grant for business networked projects is open 3.2-31.3.2025 . In addition, the application period for company development grants will open in March-April under the theme of sustainable development or digitalisation. The next ERDF application period for the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia is 17.2. – 11 April 2025, amounting to approximately EUR 6.7 million. The application period for sustainable urban development will open in the spring and the authorisation is EUR 1 million. The Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Northern Ostrobothnia has taken into consideration those who arrived between 30 August and 28 November 2024, for employment and…

The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia convened its last meeting of the year on Tuesday 17 December in Oulu. At the beginning of the meeting, the Secretary-General of the Baltic Sea Commission, Lucille Ehrhart, presented the topical issues of the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission. In matters of lobbying, Regional Director Jussi Rämet told about the decision made by the Parliament on the deputy disbursement of funds for the Northern Ostrobothnia sites and the last meeting of the preparatory group for the Northern Finland Programme. The implementation of the programme will be based on existing funding. The work will be handed over to Prime Minister Orpo in January. The Provincial Director reported on the report by Arto Sulonen and Eero Laesterä, liquidators of the reform of the system of central government transfers, which includes the liquidators' model for a new system of central government transfers for basic municipal services. Toni Saranpää, Administrative Director, opened the draft amendments to procurement legislation. In particular, municipalities are concerned with the possibilities for the public sector to provide support services in in-house units, for which there is a market. Also for the obligation to renew the tendering procedure when a single tender has been received,…

The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia convened its autumn meeting in Oulu on 9 December 2024. The budget 2025 of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and the Economic and Operational Plan 2025-2027 were adopted The total budget 2025 for operating revenue is EUR 5 472 374, which has decreased by 7% compared to the 2024 budget. Operating costs amount to EUR 5 699 351, a decrease of 6.5% compared to the previous year's budget. The decrease in the number of own production projects is reflected in the decrease in operating income and costs. In addition, Karelia ENI CBC's access to technical support has ended at the end of September 2024. The result for the financial year, after depreciation during the budget year, is EUR -240 858. EUR 240 858 shall be credited from the Development Fund. The surplus/deficit for the financial year is EUR 0. Membership contributions have been increased by 1.9 per cent compared to …

The Regional Government decides to propose to the Regional Council that it approves the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia's Economic and Operational Plan 2025-2027 and the Budget 2025. The 2025 budget totals EUR 5 472 374 in operational revenue, which represents a decrease of 7% compared to the 2024 budget. Operating costs amount to EUR 5 699 351, a decrease of 6.5% compared to the previous year's budget. The decrease in the number of own production projects is reflected in the decrease in operating income and costs. In addition, the access to technical support for the Karelia ENI CBC programme has expired at the end of September 2024. Membership contributions have been increased by 1.9% compared to 2024. The result for the financial year after depreciation in the budget year is -240 858…

The Regional Government of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia has awarded the North Ostrobothnia Prize to Pauli Harju for his outstanding life's work, which has made North Ostrobothnia known and strengthened its identity. Pauli Harju served as Regional Director of Northern Ostrobothnia from 2008 to 2023. Between 2005 and 2006, he worked as project manager for the PARAS project in the North Ostrobothnia Regional Council. In 2016, Harju took leave of absence and worked at the Ministry of Finance as the change manager of the regional reform, from which he returned to the position of regional director in 2017. Pauli Harju has served as Mayor of Pudasjärvi and Mayor of Taivalkoski. In addition, he has worked as a business ombudsman, managing director, bank manager, district judge, bank lawyer and nominee. Harju has held numerous positions of trust. Harju holds a bachelor's degree in law and was awarded the title of LL.M. in 1985. In rank, he's a major in the reserve. The identity of the largest province in Northern Finland is not …

The next call for proposals under the Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 programme, organised by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Northern Ostrobothnia, will take place from 21 October to 16 December 2024 in Northern Ostrobothnia. This is the runway for growth - the product development and internationalisation studies of companies, which will be opened from the ERDF and EUR 1 million will be reserved for it. The next ESF+ call (TL 4) is 16.1.-27.3.2025.  The next call for ERDF projects will be for environmental projects from 16 January to 27 March 2025. JTF skills and employment, as well as restoration and reuse funding, are in constant search. Between 15 January and 1 October 2024, a total of EUR 6 055 829 has been applied for business development grants under axis 1 and 2 and EUR 7 521 880 has been applied for under axis 7 (JTF) from the ELY Centre for Northern Ostrobothnia. Preparation of a regional financing plan for 2025-2026 (Renewing and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 programme) The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, in cooperation with the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Northern Ostrobothnia, has prepared a proposal…